Uzbekistan, South Korea to launch textile Techno Park in September

14 February 2018 13:45 (UTC+04:00)

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By Kamila Aliyeva

Uzbekistan and South Korea plan to launch a modern textile Techno Park in Tashkent in September 2018.

This was announced by the head of the State Investment Committee of the Republic, Azim Ahmedkhadzhayev, at the first Uzbek-Korean meeting on economic cooperation issues on February 13.

The new facility will be created on the territory of the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry.

The project is financed through grant funds provided within official development assistance program of the Korean government. About $15 million will be spent on construction, acquisition and installation of technological equipment, as well as training of personnel.

The organization of transfer and introduction of the most modern South Korean innovations at Uzbek light industry enterprises is among the main goals of the Techno Park.

Main objective of the techno park construction is introduction of the brand-new South Korean innovations and conduction of joint research works in the sphere of material science, dyeing and finishing production, fabric design as well as development of alternative energy sources.

High-tech three- and five-storey buildings with office premises, as well as a separate building with a total useful area of more than 10,000 square meters for organizing pilot production using energy-intensive technologies equipped with solar panels will be constructed within the project.

In addition, over 4,000 square meters of the territory will be allocated for several buildings, which will accommodate training classes, conference rooms, exhibition spaces, laboratories, offices, greenhouses and other facilities.

A modern experimental and scientific laboratory will also be located nearby. It will be equipped with the latest samples of the leading weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing equipment and sewing equipment.

It is expected that the installation of the equipment will begin in March 2018. Construction and installation work will be completed by mid-2018 and the Techno Park will be commissioned in September 2018.

The establishment of the Techno Park is expected to raise the Uzbek light industry to a qualitatively new level of development and improve the training system for the sector.

Textile industry of Uzbekistan is considered to be one of the most dynamic and socially important sectors and ranks high among export-oriented industries of the country’s economy. The Uzbek textile industry is mainly focused on cotton, silk and wool.

One of the policy priorities of Uzbekistan, the world’s fifth-largest cotton exporter, is further development of its textile industry. Annually, the country grows about 3.5 million tons of raw cotton, produces 1.1 million tons of cotton fiber.

Uzbekistan takes consistent steps to increase the volume of cotton fiber processing. In particular, it is planned to create 112 modern, high-tech industrial factories, expand, modernize and technologically upgrade 20 operating capacities. All this will increase the export potential of the industry up to $2.5 billion a year and create more than 25,000 jobs.

In the period 2010-2014, the textile industry of Uzbekistan received and spent foreign investments worth $785 million while 147 new textile enterprises with participation of investors from Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., Turkey and other countries were commissioned. Export potential of these enterprises amounted to $670 millions.

Currently, Uzbekistan continues to attract foreign investments for construction of textile enterprises in the country.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva